Arafat Syria visit cancelled

YASSER ARAFAT has called off his landmark visit to Syria after receiving a last-minute request from Damascus to delay the trip.

Arafat had already arrived at Amman's airport when he received the request from the Syrians to postpone. There was no immediate explanation for the move, or on how long the trip was to be delayed.

The purpose of the visit was to seek support from Syrian President Basher Assad for the Palestinian's conflict with Israel. Arafat had told reporters in Jordan last night that he was "looking forward" to the mission.

The scheduled two-day trip had been arranged only after intense negotiations. Relations between Syria and the Palestinians have been tense since 1993, when the Palestinians outraged Syria by making a peace deal with Israel.

Arafat last went to Syria in June 2000, when he was allowed to pay his respects at the funeral of longtime Syrian leader Hafez Assad.